Comments on: Missouri State Rep Proposes Stupid Tax On Gameshttp://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/
Read the latest gaming news, get game downloads, mods, patches, and watch game videos at Game Front.Tue, 03 Mar 2015 17:10:01 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1By: ZephyrTuvaihttp://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/comment-page-1/#comment-324520
ZephyrTuvaiThu, 17 Jan 2013 04:32:10 +0000http://www.gamefront.com/?p=201889#comment-324520This is horrendously stupid. But the saddest part is, almost every recent art form has gone through this, as R.J. said, comics, movies, and music. While this is past the point of appalling ignorance, I choose to at least look at it as a necessary, albeit it incredibly infuriating, step towards video games being accepted as an art form. Not that I'm condoning the action, help us all if this passes as it will unfortunately become the first of many, being used as that wonderful legal term "precedent", its just that this happened before with other forms of media, and eventually it will get to a climax of sorts, after which a lot more freedom will be allowed to those who choose to use video games as their form of artistic expression. Eventually.This is horrendously stupid. But the saddest part is, almost every recent art form has gone through this, as R.J. said, comics, movies, and music. While this is past the point of appalling ignorance, I choose to at least look at it as a necessary, albeit it incredibly infuriating, step towards video games being accepted as an art form. Not that I’m condoning the action, help us all if this passes as it will unfortunately become the first of many, being used as that wonderful legal term “precedent”, its just that this happened before with other forms of media, and eventually it will get to a climax of sorts, after which a lot more freedom will be allowed to those who choose to use video games as their form of artistic expression. Eventually.
]]>By: gasmaskangelhttp://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/comment-page-1/#comment-324504
gasmaskangelThu, 17 Jan 2013 03:57:20 +0000http://www.gamefront.com/?p=201889#comment-324504@R.J.
I've actually wondered that to.@R.J.

I’ve actually wondered that to.

]]>By: R.J.http://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/comment-page-1/#comment-324474
R.J.Thu, 17 Jan 2013 02:20:58 +0000http://www.gamefront.com/?p=201889#comment-324474Wow, that is stupid. AO rated games usually get those ratings because they're pornographic, so taxing those games would miss the intended target most of the time. As the article notes, plenty of games get T or M ratings without being violent. Better watch out for Rock Band because I think I heard a couple of drug references in some songs. Oops, that isn't violent, but apparently being rated T is enough. I've seen NHL hockey games that received T ratings because they recreate the fighting seen so often in actual hockey. Is the plan to tax hockey tickets because there could be a fight? While we're at it, why stop at taxing violent games? If this goes through, then it's only fair to tax movie tickets sold to anything above PG-13, regardless of why it has that rating. Oh, and books and TV will have to be taxed somehow too, since it's only fair.
Since the ESRB is actually a system of self-regulation in the gaming industry, I'd hope that if this were actually used, the folks over there would point out that Missouri wouldn't even be using the ratings system properly since a blanket tax like this doesn't even account for the basic step of flipping the game over and seeing why it received a particular rating.
On a more serious note, I'm curious why games keep getting lined up as the scapegoat, here. Was there even any evidence that the shooter played a bunch of games, or is it just the same old bunk being placed on the newest form of entertainment since the same blame-game never worked out when it was aimed at comics, movies, and rock n' roll?Wow, that is stupid. AO rated games usually get those ratings because they’re pornographic, so taxing those games would miss the intended target most of the time. As the article notes, plenty of games get T or M ratings without being violent. Better watch out for Rock Band because I think I heard a couple of drug references in some songs. Oops, that isn’t violent, but apparently being rated T is enough. I’ve seen NHL hockey games that received T ratings because they recreate the fighting seen so often in actual hockey. Is the plan to tax hockey tickets because there could be a fight? While we’re at it, why stop at taxing violent games? If this goes through, then it’s only fair to tax movie tickets sold to anything above PG-13, regardless of why it has that rating. Oh, and books and TV will have to be taxed somehow too, since it’s only fair.

Since the ESRB is actually a system of self-regulation in the gaming industry, I’d hope that if this were actually used, the folks over there would point out that Missouri wouldn’t even be using the ratings system properly since a blanket tax like this doesn’t even account for the basic step of flipping the game over and seeing why it received a particular rating.

On a more serious note, I’m curious why games keep getting lined up as the scapegoat, here. Was there even any evidence that the shooter played a bunch of games, or is it just the same old bunk being placed on the newest form of entertainment since the same blame-game never worked out when it was aimed at comics, movies, and rock n’ roll?

]]>By: Cemthhttp://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/comment-page-1/#comment-324305
CemthWed, 16 Jan 2013 19:45:15 +0000http://www.gamefront.com/?p=201889#comment-324305As usual, politicians are too dense or too lazy to target the cause of something (or they have conflicted interests) so they target what can only generously be described as a symptom. Really, in this instance it's not even that.
Idiots.As usual, politicians are too dense or too lazy to target the cause of something (or they have conflicted interests) so they target what can only generously be described as a symptom. Really, in this instance it’s not even that.

Idiots.

]]>By: S.J.Mhttp://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/comment-page-1/#comment-324286
S.J.MWed, 16 Jan 2013 19:06:58 +0000http://www.gamefront.com/?p=201889#comment-324286The irony being you'd have to question the mental state of anyone who passes such a tax. I'm not in the US, so it doesnt effect me but I still have to laugh at the idea this chaps proposing.
Statistically 1 in 4 people suffers from mental health issues over the coarse of a year. Its not games that cause it, no more then someone watching a film or TV show (will they levy the tax on those too?) its a state of the mind. Video games don't kill people, weapons and the people who wield them do.The irony being you’d have to question the mental state of anyone who passes such a tax. I’m not in the US, so it doesnt effect me but I still have to laugh at the idea this chaps proposing.

Statistically 1 in 4 people suffers from mental health issues over the coarse of a year. Its not games that cause it, no more then someone watching a film or TV show (will they levy the tax on those too?) its a state of the mind. Video games don’t kill people, weapons and the people who wield them do.

]]>By: gasmaskangelhttp://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/comment-page-1/#comment-324266
gasmaskangelWed, 16 Jan 2013 18:09:32 +0000http://www.gamefront.com/?p=201889#comment-324266This is so cartoonishly stupid it makes my brain hurt. It's like something from a stupid 90's extreme sports movie where the villain wants to ban skateboarding or something because he just doesn't understand "kids these days."
I'm actually pretty sure this won't get passed, if only because the quality of people crusading against violent video games seems to be scraping the bottom of the barrel. I mean, I remember when political big shots like Hillary Clinton used to take shots at them and you felt like you actually had a real assault on freedom of speech going on, but this... this feels like listening to really senile distant relative being racist.
Also, a 1% tax? So you're just going to add 60 cents to the price tag? That's not even a very good threat. I could pay that tax with the loose change in my freaking car.
It also seems like a really easy system to cheat. What about indie games that never go up for an ESRB rating? Hotline Miami is one of the most horrifically violent games I've ever played and it has no ESRB rating on it's steam page.This is so cartoonishly stupid it makes my brain hurt. It’s like something from a stupid 90′s extreme sports movie where the villain wants to ban skateboarding or something because he just doesn’t understand “kids these days.”

I’m actually pretty sure this won’t get passed, if only because the quality of people crusading against violent video games seems to be scraping the bottom of the barrel. I mean, I remember when political big shots like Hillary Clinton used to take shots at them and you felt like you actually had a real assault on freedom of speech going on, but this… this feels like listening to really senile distant relative being racist.

Also, a 1% tax? So you’re just going to add 60 cents to the price tag? That’s not even a very good threat. I could pay that tax with the loose change in my freaking car.

It also seems like a really easy system to cheat. What about indie games that never go up for an ESRB rating? Hotline Miami is one of the most horrifically violent games I’ve ever played and it has no ESRB rating on it’s steam page.

]]>By: Bradhttp://www.gamefront.com/missouri-state-rep-proposes-stupid-tax-on-games/comment-page-1/#comment-324265
BradWed, 16 Jan 2013 18:09:03 +0000http://www.gamefront.com/?p=201889#comment-324265Yeah, and didn't Lieberman hold The Sims up as a shining example of what non-violent video games are supposed to be?Yeah, and didn’t Lieberman hold The Sims up as a shining example of what non-violent video games are supposed to be?
]]>